Hello all,

I am "Dusty the Magic Shrine Clown" I clown for the Shriner's Hospitals for children. I belong to the Rhode Island Shriners and the Rhode Island Shrine Clowns as well as the Northeast Shrine Clown Association. In case you are not familiar with the Shriners, we operate 22 cost free orthopedic and burn hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. We have 191 Shrines located throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Panama to support it. FOr more info go to http://www.shrinershq.org/ or http://www.ne-sa.org/
Is anyone else here a Shrine clown?

I am a Shriner and a Professional full time clown/magician, however I will not be a Shrine Clown. Here the shrine clowns smoke and drink beer while in face and that is a NO-NO by WCA and other professional clown organizations. When they change the rules to prohibit that, then I'll join the unit.

Peter

Unfortunately being a pro-clown they may not be accepting towards you as well, I believe, that it is also against ISCA and Imperial rules to drink and or smoke in costume. I would talk to your divan about this issue because it is serious.


Posted: Sep 14, 2005 8:52am
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I am sorry about the spelling errors I should know better, did you talk to the Divan yet about the clowns in your Shrine?

Hello, Fellow Joeys!

Please add me to the list of clown magicians, balloon twisters, face painters and caricaturists! My clown name is "Looie" and I'm an Auguste.

Bump a nose!

Dave

Hello everyone. I am not a clown nor do I play one anywhere (some might roll their eyes and say "wanna bet?!"). Just wanted to mention that a single page of this forum has to be the most colorful at the Café! Never seen so much color in avatars to the left. It's like a parade in here! Gotta love it. (Circus music in background and reaching for another twist of cotton candy)

Interestingly enough, the first creature I ever saw perform magic was a clown. My later heros (a travelling magician who's name I forgot, Doug Henning, and Shimada) inspired me to pursue my love for stage manipulation, which unlike anything else in my life has been all consuming obsession.

As a child, it was a clown who first made me say "How'd he do that?!". If you must know, he put two sponge balls in my hand, had me repeat the magic words, and from my hand poured what seemed like dozens of sponge balls. The quirkiness and ongoing surprises had us entertained for a solid hour and we loved it.

Thanks and on with the show!

Is anyone else here a Shrine clown?

Hi, I perform as Clown Kiko. Doing juggling and magic, acting and balloon modeling.
I do use a little make-up but not much (little red circle on the nose, a sun and little above the eyes). I do not really look like a "classic kind of clown".

As a clown I only perform for children. Just out of interest I was wondering how many of you perform as a clown for adults?

A few points,

First, I am no longer a Shrine clown. I still volunteer as a clown. (All money goes to a charity.) My question related to this is, where can I get insurance at a reasonable price? It is not economically feasible for me to join COAI or similar groups as well as pay for insurance right now.

Second, welcome to all fellow clowns. It is good for us to unite and share our knowledge and personal experiences to better the art of clowning.

Finally, I feel that magic is a great art and that there are not enough people willing to train others in it properly. This is why some of us are better than others. I myself struggle because I cannot learn magic from books and I prefer to have someone watch my rountine and make appropriate suggestions to improve.
Along those lines, if this or past generations do not teach it to future younger generations such as myself, the art will be lost and forgotten and that will be a truly sad day. I have asked many magicians to teach me and they claim that they do not teach. As for magic schools or academies, they are to far and expensive for someone who volunteers a great deal of his tyime for the benefit of others.
I have a question to all of you, Why do we want magic to be so exclusive that we cant pass it on unless you are willing to spend a lot of money on learning materials which I cannot learn from and I cannot afford to go to the magic academy and learn. But I love magic, but because I haven't gone to a school, some consider me inferior. Why?

I do what I do with my Father to make sick children and all children young and old smile again and forget their worries and pains even if it is for a few seconds or minutes.

Also, I feel that all performers are vital in the art of magic including but not limited to: stage performers, parlor performers, Close up magicians, street magicians, buskers, clowns and other magicians clowns or performers that combine magic in their act because they do what they do to entertain others. Not just for money or or persoanl glory because many magicians do not have a tv show and beautiful asistants to distract our audince so lets all band together and promote magic to responsible young magicians to make them more advanced in the art of magic so that they may pass it along to future genrations and keep other people entertained. It is easy to criticize magicians, or anyone for that matter, but it is far more complicated to create a viable solution.

Yours in magic,

DUSTY

Hi guys.

I’ve been on the forum for a few weeks but not checked out this alley before (did you see what I did there? Alley as in clown alley – sorry I'm English and just find it funny that the Americans have clown alleys - being clubs that meet in buildings not alley ways – you know jokes really are NOT funny if you have to explain them …………… but you may have been amused had you seen me sweating and my panicked facial expressions as I tied to explain my “top notch joke” to you all.)

OK let’s get balk on track. I have not made time to read all the posts in this thread yet (I've been up since 11 and on the web for most of that – so not getting a lot of work done).

My name is Dave Matkin. Although I sometimes go by the alter ego of “SPARKY”. I have been into clowning for about 10 years. I love playing the fool. But have not done much for a few years now. I have club foot and this has relapsed (again!) and meant I needed MORE surgery. I am still ‘recovering’ from my last op 1 ½ years ago. But I hope to be doing some more clowning in the coming year. I can’t wear my braces with my clown shoes so I tend to stick to magic and escapology at the moment.

I first performed as a clown when I was at school – red nose day – my costume was dire I made the wig myself and everyone laughed at me. SO that was quite successful for a first outing. I got more involved in clowning after I did a summer camp in America in 1997. I met, my now close friend, “Luck” (aka Keith crabs) who had been a professional clown ad magician for a few years. I learnt a lot from him and started to take make up a lot more seriously. Then in something like 2000 I met KOOKIE the clown (lives in Devizes ?SPELLING? near Swindon in the UK – some of you may know him he is FANTASTIC and can get 30 minutes+ of routing out of a bag of stuffed toys! – Catch phrase ‘Roodey Poodey’ (phonetically spelt). He taught me more about make up and helped me decide on a wig and stuff. I went yellow as it fitted my clown BUT yellow sucks in the summer – thunder bugs! HE was great! I learnt a lot from him and was really proud to meet him and learn from him.

I now have a well developed clown face and a certain character that works really well for ‘SPARKY’ – he’s kind of cheeky, thinks he’s funny and always messing about with people in ANY way he can!. He sometimes does magic – but as he is cheeky likes the sucker endings – he likes getting one over on people (but in a fun way – people know he cheats!)

My name originates from the summer camp I was on. During colour war (I guess that should be color war as it was America?) I rigged up lighting fro the shows they were putting on. Using the remains of 1950s wiring from a derelict play house that was on the camp. SO they called me SPARKY (as in an electrician) after that. The name stuck and I use it for my clown character. Unfortunately South Park came along! Oh well!

Well that’s me. Well SPARKY me anyway. Like I said I am also into magic and escapology – juggling, fore breathing, blockhead and all things circus (except ring mastering  ) .

Well guys it’s nice to meet you I will come back soon and visit. Feel free to email me if you want a chat – not that you will learn anything from me!

Also I am doing a charity skydive and escape and fire juggling (show type thing) on the 9th September I need sponsorship to do the jump so if you have a few £ $ or even € or ¥ to spear please let me know and I’ll tell you how you can sponsor me over the internet!

G,day ZappyJingles

Making some noise here Down Under. I am a total newbie to clowning but am willing to learn. Have a couple of books, sites to inspire me. Learning magic and gags before I take on the rest of the town here. Don't have makeup or a costume yet. Yes a real newbie.

Hugs N Giggles
Tracy

Hi all. I am a professionally trained clown having gone to the NY Goofs clown school and I was also trained by the Big Apple Circus Clown Care. I was a clown doctor at Miami Children's Hospital for almost six years. Clowning has helped me tremendously in my performing.

Let me introduce Myself, I am a man of ??? Wait that is somebody else…..


I perform my magic show exclusively as a Clown.

I am not a full time performer, I have a “Real Job” as some would say, designing computer networks. I am a member of COAI, SAM and IBM.

I did my first magic show at age 9, began clowning at age 10. had a good business going doing parties up until marriage & babies, gave it all up, but have been back in makeup for about for about 10 years now.

My wife says that I wear more makeup the she does and it is true.

Hi folks,

I have been a full-time professional clown for 9 years. I went to "balloon-aversity" and clown college along with years of balloon conventions and mooseburger clown camp.

For the last year I've also added to the list of offerings a magician show.

There is quite a bit of difference in the presentations of clown show vs. magician show. I wouldn't want to perform my magic show for an audience under 10 years old. My clown show is perfect for the age group 4,5,6 and 7.

Even after being a clown for 9 years, I still get butterflies before every magic show. I'm beginning to enjoy magic shows even more now, primarily due to not having to get into so much make-up ahead of time.

Hello from Greece!


I' m a European Auguste Clown and I live in Patras, Greece.

I perform for kids for about a year and I do a little bit of everything ( Ball - Ring Juggling, Magic, Balloon Animals etc. )


Most of my magic tricks are easy and require the basic skill ( eg: vanishing - appearing silks, coloring books, change bags etc. ) and I think they are ok for a common kids show.

These days, I started looking for tricks that are more complicated and exciting for kids ( and for adults too ).I found many of them but I can't decide which one is for me.

I am in a total confusion! <:O)

I wish I find my magical way!

Thank you!

Hello!

I have been full time professional clown and magician about 20 years.

I make balloons, cycling and magic.

Hello! Yet another clown for the count! I am really happy just because I'm getting my fist set of clown shoes!

Hi Everyone
I was facinated by the posts here I idn't realize that there were so many Professional and professionally trained clowns out there I do some magic as a clown but I just went out and did it mostly for kids and they seem to like it but I would love to see some DVD's on what to really be doing any suggestions espcially on easy to do routines?
Thanks Kathy

I am sorry I forgot to ask what is Coai? I know that it is a clown organization but are they all over I am in Salt Lake City Utah but had never heard of it
Thanks
Kathy

Welcome to the Magic Café!!!
COAI is Clowns of America International. Their webiste is http://www.coai.org They are all over the world and probably have a ring in your area. I joined while in Italy and have yet to travel where I didn't meet a fellow COAI Joey..

Thanks Rob I really appreciate it I will check into it ASAP
Kathy